Hooked on a Feeling
by Chemical 30
Summary: A year after their success on Xandar, the Guardians go on a rescue mission. But things are not always what they seem. No one can be trusted.
1. Chapter 1

_I'm hooked on a feeling, I'm high on believing, that you're in love with me._

The song blasted through the speakers of the Milano. Gamora hummed along softly as she sharpened one of her blades for the third time that day. She could hear Drax and Rocket arguing about something, they were constantly bickering these days. She could make out bits of the argument, Drax was stating that they could defeat Thanos if they were to challenge him. Rocket, of course, disagreed; stating that going after Thanos was nothing but a suicide mission. Gamora turned her head and smiled as she watched Peter try to teach, the now fully grown, Groot how to dance. Peter bright smile beamed at Groot, however, Gamora couldn't help but notice that the smile did not reach his eyes.

It's been a little over a year since the Guardians had saved Xandar, and they would be lying if they said they hadn't expected more to happen in the following year. Sure, news had spread throughout parts of the galaxy that a team of outlaws had saved the planet; however their names had curiously been left out of the story. Hardly anyone knew who exactly had saved Xandar, and without that very important part, the Guardians were short on jobs. They barely made enough, or stole enough, to buy food and supplies to support themselves. Peter had promised Corpsman Dey that he would look out for the group. For the most part he had kept to his word, they had only done a few illegal adventures, and they needed some money to survive.

Not to mention that they have been on the run from Yondu since they left Xandar. Peter wasn't completely sure what would happen if the Ravagers caught them, he wouldn't be surprised if it involved eating some limb or another. Peter would be damned if he let his friends become a tasty dish on the Ravagers plates.

So here they are, wandering through an outer quadrant of the galaxy. The five friends were stuffed in a crowded spaceship, trying to remain positive of their future as a team. They wanted to stick together, they were family, and they needed each other. Even Rocket grew anxious at the thought of having to go back to the way things were before him and Groot tried to capture Quill. He liked Quill's goofy grin and sudden outbursts of dancing. He has grown fond of Gamora's devotion to her friends. He even liked Drax, though he would never say it out loud, who else would he argue with if it were to go back to just him and Groot.

The Guardians all stopped what they were doing when they heard the Milano's communication device start ringing. Peter expected that it was going to be Dey or maybe Yondu, however he was surprised when he saw a name that he didn't recognize. He looked over to Gamora, hoping that she would know who was calling them, but she just shrugged and shook her head. Peter turned off the music before pressing the green button to accept the call, a middle-aged man popped up on to their screen. His skin was pale, and his hair was stark white. His skin was covered in curved markings that almost looked like scars. However what unnerved Peter the most was the man's vibrant, almost cat-like purple eyes. Those eyes were fixed solely on Peter, and it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up.

"Hello Guardians, I am Vito, King of the planet Sulis. We are located on the northern most quadrant of the galaxy. News of your success on Xandar has reached us here; which is the reason why I have called upon you today." His voice was deeper than Peter had suspected, which only concerned him more. Peter glanced quickly over at Gamora, but she was staring intently at the screen. Peter assumed that she was trying to figure this man out.

Peter cleared his throat before speaking, "I'm sorry sir, but I have never heard of the planet Sulis."

Vito bared his teeth in a wide grin, "That does not surprise me Mr. Quill," Peter's eyebrows shot up at the mention of his name. "Sulis is a peaceful planet, and one not close to anything else. We are not widely known throughout the galaxy."

Gamora spoke next, her tone terse, "Why call upon us, sir?"

Vito finally tore his gaze from Peter to look at Gamora, "It is my daughter. She has been taken."

"By who?" Gamora asked.

"I am afraid I do not wish to discuss this further over a call. I would like to speak to you all in person. Of course there would be a rather hefty reward, if you bring back my daughter safely. I do hope to see you all again soon." Vito smiled one last time before the transmission was cut. The Guardians stared at the black screen for a few moments before Rocket spoke up.

"Does anyone else get the creeps from that guy?"

"I am Groot." Groot nodded in agreement.

"He did mention a reward. We need the money badly Quill." Drax stated, Peter scratched the back of his neck and cleared his throat nervously.

"I know, I know. It's just something about that guy seems off. How can a planet in a far corner of the galaxy know about us, but the planet right next to Xandar not know us at all." Peter mused.

Gamora walked over to the computer and searched up the planet Sulis. Little was known of the planet. It had never been involved in any wars nor did it have anything to do with the galaxy's politics. All that was written about the small planet was of this man's, Vito's, ascension into power. He climbed the ranks and eventually became the king only five years ago.

"All I know is that man was weird. He smiled when he talked about his daughter being missing. I'm no parent, but that doesn't seem right." Rocket stated.

"The furry one is correct. Any good parent would never be that calm after a child's disappearance." Drax snapped, his arms were crossed over his chest. Peter could tell he was upset.

Gamora tore her eyes from the screen and looked at Peter, "We could go to the planet and judge for ourselves if this Vito can be trusted. As Drax said we need the money."

Peter released a breath he didn't realize that he had been holding, "Alright we'll set course towards Sulis. We'll see what this guy is made of."


	2. Arriving on Sulis

The Guardians landed on Sulis within two days. The whole ride there the group had talked about the upcoming mission, if they chose to accept it of course. They had talked about Vito, about the planet Sulis, about the mysterious circumstances in which Vito had known who they were and what they had done. Rocket landed the Milano with ease and released the hatch. The Guardians were welcomed by a man dressed in velvet robes. He had the same white hair, skin, and markings that they had seen on Vito. Peter noticed that his eyes held the same cat-like quality as well. The man stepped forward and welcomed the Guardians.

Peter looked around, the planet was beautiful. The island that they had landed on was surrounded by the bluest water that Peter had ever seen. It sparkled and shimmered in the sunlight. The sky was a lavender color that Peter had only seen on a rare sunset back on Terra. In the center of the island stood a castle made of shimmering gold and white marble.

"Welcome Guardians to planet Sulis, my name is Zelut, King Vito is extremely happy that you are here. He is anxious to make you acquaintance." The man stated, "Please follow me and I will escort you to him right away."

Peter glanced over at Gamora, he could see that her jaw was tense and her hand rested on one of the many daggers that adorned her belt. They fell into step behind Zelut and followed him towards the castle. Rocket climbed up Groot and rested on his shoulder, not being able to keep up with the rest of them.

"All these people give me the creeps." Rocket muttered so that only Groot could hear.

"I am Groot." Groot said softly, slowly nodding his head.

They made their way through the small town that rested below the castle. Children ran around playing and laughing. Women in their velvet dresses browsed the small shops that lined the sidewalks. Every one of them had white hair and pale skin, the silver markings adorning their skin. A small girl, with her hair pulled back into two braids, ran into Peter, almost knocking him off his feet. She fell to the ground and dropped a small wooden figure that resembled a dog, but with antlers. The toy clattered right in front of Peter.

"Little girl! Watch where you are going!" Zelut barked. The small girl gasped and looked with at Peter with tears in her eyes. Peter knelt down and picked up the little toy, he helped the girl to her feet and handed her the toy. He playfully ruffled her hair and winked. The girl smiled and continued towards wherever she had been heading. As he straightened back to his feet, Peter caught a glimpse of Drax smiling fondly at the little girl as she rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

It took them twenty minutes to make it into the throne room. Their footsteps echoed in the large room. The ceilings were raised sixty feet in the air, and one side of the room was all glass, allowing light to pour into the room. Peter glanced at the view one more time before turning his attention towards the throne. Vito sat with his hands gracefully placed in his lap, and a golden crown, that looked like vines wrapping around his head, sat upon his head.

"The Guardians of the Galaxy! How honored am I to finally meet you!" Vito exclaimed as he rose to his feet. He was taller than Peter had expected, he was a good four to five inches taller than himself. "Thank you Zelut for bringing them to me." Zelut dipped his head slightly and silently left the room.

Gamora bowed respectfully in front of the king, "King Vito, your planet is quite beautiful. Thank you for inviting us."

Vito smiled at Gamora, obviously honored by the comment, "Yes, Sulis is very beautiful. I have the great pleasure of calling it my home."

"Are we going to talk about the reason you invited us here in the first place? Your missin' daughter?" Rocket snapped, Peter looked at Rocket with wide eyes.

"Rocket!" Peter admonished.

"Do not worry Mr. Quill. Your…friend has a point. You all must be curious." Vito said, his voice grim. "My daughter, Serilda was taken almost week ago today. We believe the Skrull Empire is to blame, we also think that she is being held on their original home planet of Skrullos. They have been wanting to wage a war against us for some time."

"On Skrullos? Are you certain? They moved from that planet a long time ago." Drax asked.

"Yes Skrullos has been abandoned for years." Gamora added.

Vito nodded, "Yes, there is evidence that the Skrull's are responsible and that they are holding my daughter on Skrullos. Our intelligence also believes that she is being held on the southern end of the planet, where the Skrull's old laboratories were. "

"How old is your daughter?" Peter asked.

"She just turned twenty last month. Please, who knows what horrors the Skrull's are forcing upon my daughter? I will make sure you are all rewarded substantially if you bring my daughter back to me alive."

Peter looked to his group, Drax and Gamora nodded in support, Rocket barred his teeth, and Groot simply shrugged. Peter nodded once, "Alright, Vito, we'll do it. We will leave first thing in the morning."


	3. Heading Towards Skrullos

Peter leaned against the railing, looking at the bright ocean, apparently there was no day or night on Sulis. The lighting of the planet remained the same all day, every day. He heard the door of his room open, he didn't turn around because he recognized the footsteps as Gamora's. Within a few seconds Gamora leaned in next to him, "It really is beautiful here."

Peter nodded in agreement and let out a content sigh, "Yeah, everything is so quiet. It reminds me of the farm my grandparents owned."

"Have you ever been back to see them? Since the Ravagers took you."

Peter shook his head, "No, not once. I haven't ever gone back to Terra."

"Why? You always talk so fondly of it."

"I don't know. Maybe I'm scared it would be different. I mean it's has been twenty years. Or maybe I'm afraid that nothing has changed at all. I didn't belong there when I was a kid, and I sure as hell wouldn't belong there now. All Terra has done is gone to the moon, that's their biggest achievement. Can you imagine me going back? More than likely they would try to lock me up or something."

Gamora looked at Peter, the lighting made his skin glow and his eyes sparkle. She could see the copper undertones in his hair as the rays of sunlight streamed through his hair. The last year had been hard on him, she knew that, Peter had been forced to grow up some so that way he could be the captain of their team. His face didn't have the care-free glow that she had seen when they first met, now it had a more stern and concentrated quality. She would be lying if she said that he wasn't attractive.

Peter looked down at Gamora, he could tell she was thinking about something. He assumed that it was the mission, both of them knew the Skrulls were not an easy opponent. However, the lavender lighting made her skin glow and her eyes were bright. They looked at each other and for a few moments, oblivious to each other, they leaned in closer to each other.

Gamora and Peter both jumped when they heard the door open loudly. They turned around and saw Drax, he smiled and bellowed, "Come my friends! They are putting on a feast in our honor!"

They laughed and Peter nodded, "Alright, let's get some grub."

The dining hall was just as big as the throne room. However, instead of just one wall of windows, they were surrounded by glass windows, the room was lit by candlelight and the smell of food filled the entire room. In the center of the large wooden table was a roasted animal that Peter could only compare to a pig. It was definitely larger than any pig he'd seen though. The pig-like thing was surrounded by other delicious dishes. All the plates were steaming and the smell made Drax's mouth start watering again.

Rocket and Groot were already seated at the table, Peter could tell that Rocket had already had a few drinks. "Quill! 'Mora! Nice of you to finally join us!" Rocket grinned happily.

"I am Groot!"

"Yeah, what did take you guys so long?" Rocket repeated.

"We were admiring the view." Peter stated as he sat down across from Groot. Peter could've swore he saw a small blush of color on Gamora's cheeks. Groot smiled and Peter couldn't help but smile back at his friend.

The night continued on, the Guardians laughed and ate together like they hadn't done in a long time. Vito and Zelut both came and made an appearance but that was the extent of their visit, Peter still felt uneasy about the king, but he didn't voice his concerns. He didn't want to worry his friends, so he just assumed he was being overly paranoid.

They all ate until they felt like they would bust. They all left the dining room and went to their separate rooms. Peter flopped down on his bed and pulled his headphones over his ears. He closed his eyes and hummed along to the song. He couldn't make the uneasy knot in his stomach that he had been feeling since they had agreed to this mission to go away. Sure, he had gone on plenty of missions when he was with the Ravagers. But he had always been on the winning side, the Ravagers always won, one way or another. Peter couldn't shake the feeling that him and his friends were in for a lot more than a simple rescue mission.

Needless to say, Peter did not sleep very well that night. He had listened to both Awesome Mix 1 and 2 over and over again, but sleep would just not come. Peter got to his feet and stretched his spine before going to meet his fellow Guardians by the Milano. The streets were not as crowded as they had been the day before. There were no kids running around or anyone trying to find the best deal from the shops.

By the time he reached the Milano, all his friends were already there. Drax and Groot were busy loading supplies into the ship and Gamora was shaking Vito's hand. Vito spotted Peter and smiled. "Good luck Star Lord, I wish you and your friends the best of luck. Please bring my daughter home safely to me."

Peter nodded once, "We will do everything we can."

"I count on it." Vito stated flatly before turning on his heels and walking away.

Peter looked at Gamora with wide eyes. She looked equally taken aback, they watched in shock as Vito disappeared from sight. "Let's just get this mission over with." Peter groaned as him and Gamora entered the Milano. Peter sat down in the pilot seat and started the engine. Gamora took the seat next to him and nodded, telling him that everything was clear for take-off. The Milano left the atmosphere and they set course towards Skrullos.

Peter put the ship on auto-pilot and got up. "How long until we reach our quest Quill?" Drax asked.

Peter glanced at the meter, "It says Skrullos is about eight hours away. We should get there before dark."

"What is our plan, and it better beat twelve percent." Rocket asked.

"I am Groot."

"It doesn't matter that twelve beats eleven, Groot. This is a rescue mission. We need a plan." Rocket stated.

"I…am…Groot?" Groot turned his gaze towards Peter, his eyes asking the question that his voice couldn't.

"I don't know Groot. I'm not familiar with the planet Skrullos, Gamora do you know much about its defenses and the laboratories'?" Peter asked.

Gamora nodded, "Well the reason the Skrulls moved is because they wanted a bigger planet that was more central. So that means that there really is not a whole lot around the planet. It's pretty isolated. However, their laboratories were state-of-the-art. They had high-tech defense for that time, which I'm sure Rocket can disable."

"Oh yeah, that will not be problem. Once I hack their systems I will have complete control. It should be an easy grab and go." Rocket smirked smugly.

"What about our foes? Will there many of them?" Drax asked.

"That is the one variable. There is no way to tell how many are guarding the laboratories." Gamora reported. "Although, we should be careful the Skrulls are shape shifters. They will be playing mind tricks on us."

"I am Groot." Groot shrugged.

"What are you talking about ya big idiot. Of course that matters! We'll be walking in blind! We could be outnumbered one hundred to one for all we know." Rocket exclaimed.

"It'll be alright." Peter said, trying to calm his furry friend, "We took on Ronan by ourselves. A few Skrulls won't be any problem."

"Yes! I will crush these foes like they are made of paper!" Drax smiled triumphantly.

"See that's the spirit!" Peter smiled. "We are the Guardians of the Galaxy. We can't let a few slimy Skrulls scare us!"

Gamora smiled in agreement. Rocket, Groot and Drax roared in unison. Peter smiled at his friends, for a moment he forgot the uneasy pit in his stomach, and he was just grateful to belong to such an amazing family.


	4. The Landing

**Hey Guys! I just wanted to thank you all for reading and reviewing! It means so much to me! This is my first GOTG fic and it's good to know some people are enjoying it :) If ya'll have any suggestions or ideas I would love to hear them! Enjoy the new chapter, and thank you again!**

 **~Chemical30**

Peter landed the Milano just as the sun was setting on Skrullos. The sun casting an earie orange-glow throughout the entire planet. They had decided to land about three miles away from the laboratories, hoping their presence would remain unknown for a little bit longer. Peter activated his mask and slipped on his red jacket, before telling his team that it was time to move out. Rocket climbed up on Groot again to avoid slowing his friends down.

The planet seemed as desolate as it sounded it would be. Gusts of wind stirred up the ground below them, making it hard for both Drax and Gamora to see clearly. Peter could make out abandoned concrete buildings, their glass windows disintegrated by the harsh climate. Peter followed the trails, which only he could see because of his mask, to the labs. They had a plan, it seemed so simple. Get to the labs, have Rocket hack the security systems, free Serilda and get out with as few deaths as possible. Peter knew that the plan would have a few hitches, they always did, but he was hoping that the overall plan would work.

The winds began to pick up and Gamora was finding it hard to stay upright. She shielded her eyes from the bits of sand that scraped against her skin. She could barely see Peter's red jacket flapping in the wind, she looked behind her and could only see Drax's huge form. She could no longer see Rocket or Groot.

"Peter!" She shouted, but he made no sign of hearing her, their communications must be having a hard time with the storm. She tapped the device in her ear in annoyance, "Peter! Peter do you copy?"

Peter heard Gamora's voice in his ear, but could not make out what she was saying. "Gamora? Gamora, I can't understand you." He stated, Peter began to turn his body around but was suddenly knocked off his feet and slammed up against what he could only assume was a building. His body collided hard with the solid wall, luckily the only part of his head to hit the wall was the metal of his mask. However the ringing in his ears was enough to disorientate him.

Gamora watched in horror as Peter was thrown to the side. She tried to launch herself towards him but was stopped when someone grabbed her shoulder. "Gamora! Can you see Quill?" Drax asked.

"Not anymore. I think he might've just been attacked." Gamora reported. "You find Rocket and Groot. I'll go help him!"

Gamora was knocked to the ground by the suddenness of the blow to her head. Drax had just hit her! Blood pooled in her mouth from her newly split lip, she spit out a mouthful of blood. Drax pounced upon her and wrapped his hands around her throat. Gamora gasped. This was not Drax. This was a Skrull, she mentally cursed herself for letting her guard down.

Gamora lifted her knee fast and it collided with the Skrull's groin. The Skrull released his grip, and Gamora unsheathed her sword. It only took a second before she had cut his throat. Gamora quickly got to her feet and shouted into her communication device, "It's the Skrulls! We are under attack!"

Drax heard Gamora's warning and his whole body tensed. The dust in the air made it incredibly hard to see, but he could make out dark figures approaching him. He knew they weren't his friends, so he barreled forward, crying out in rage, and collided hard with one of them. The blow was strong enough to break the Skrull's neck right away. Drax turned to the second Skrull, who had his gun pointed at him. Drax smiled and launched himself towards his enemy. He felt two lasers scrape against his arm and side, but that did not stop him. He landed a vicious punch to the Skrull's face, and before the Skrull had time to react, Drax stabbed him through the heart. Drax felt another shot to his shoulder, he snarled and turned around, throwing the knife, it flew fast and sure. It landed struck the Skrull in between the eyes.

Rocket fired his gun and hit another Skrull. Groot roared and extended his arm, stabbing three Skrull's at once. Rocket aimed and fired, "Ha! Damn Skrulls! Murdered you!" Two more Skrulls hit the floor. "Groot, let's find the others. The damn wind is starting to die down."

"I am Groot."

"I'm sure they're fine buddy. Our friends can handle themselves." Rocket reassured his friend. Groot simply nodded before walking ahead.

Peter got back to his feet. He had heard Gamora shout something but his communication was still down, all he heard was broken up static. Peter grabbed his guns and held them out in front of him. Something was wrong.

"Peter. Peter honey." He froze. He knew that voice. "Peter. It's okay, Peter." The figure stepped through the dust cloud. Peter narrowed his eyes. It was his mother.

"Ma?" Peter mutter. She didn't look sick, her reddish-brown hair fell to her shoulders. She walked towards him. Maybe he had knocked his head harder than he thought. He shook his head and closed his eyes, hoping that the delusion would disappear, but when he opened his eyes his mother still stood before him.

"Yes Peter. I'm so proud of you. You are really my little Star-Lord." She smiled sweetly at him. Suddenly, her chest began to bleed and she fell to the ground. Peter's heart pounded heavily in his chest as he watched her form begin to change and Peter stared at the dead Skrull with wide eyes. Peter looked up and saw Rocket and Groot staring at him with concerned eyes. Rocket's gun still smoking from the recent shot.

The dust had cleared completely, Gamora and Drax walked up to where Groot and Rocket were standing. Peter saw that both Gamora and Drax had been injured, but he just couldn't seem to move. His eyes lingering on the Skrull by his feet. Gamora cleared the distance to Peter. "It's alright Peter. It's just a Skrull."

Peter shook his head, "It looked so much like her."

"Peter…"Gamora sighed.

"C'mon, let's keep going. The sooner we are off his planet the better." Peter snapped, tearing his eyes from the corpse, he was suddenly grateful for his mask. Gamora couldn't see the tears that had welled in his eyes. Gamora didn't push the subject. She looked at the dead Skrull one more time before following her captain.

The Guardians continued walking, no one spoke, and they were all worried about Peter. The attack had affected him the most. Only Gamora knew completely what had happened, and she knew that it couldn't happen again. Both her and Peter had been fooled by the Skrulls, and their hesitation could've easily gotten them killed. They needed to be more alert, this mission was going to be challenging. They all knew that they had underestimated their enemies, and they were all concerned what was going to happen next.


End file.
